When Your App is More than One App

When Your App is More than One App

Does that title have you a bit confused? Don’t worry, by the end of this blog, it’ll all make a ton of sense. Today we’re looking at something that you definitely need to keep in mind when it comes to developing an on-demand app – that is, that every platform you develop your app for will feature different code and need to be approached in a different way.

Now, when we say ‘platform,’ we’re referring to iOS and Android OS, with each one having a number of different mediums within. iOS, for example, encompasses iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watches, whereas Android OS can be run on a number of different smartphones, tablets, and smart watches. Believe it or not, if you’re developing an app for various mediums under the iOS umbrella, the development process will be slightly different for each, even if the app itself will appear to be identical to the end user. Read on and find out what we mean!

Developing for the OS, NOT the device

Let’s say that you have an idea for an on-demand app that allows landscapers to list their services on an app that will be available for download on Apple’s App Store. If Cellflare were to start developing your app today, we’d develop it based on the latest, most up-to-date iOS version, which is currently iOS 12. As such, the app we’d develop for you would only be compatible with certain devices, and it wouldn’t be able to run on, say, an iPhone 5 or iPad 3. This is because with every iOS release, Apple is forced to remove their older devices from its compatible lineup, for the simple fact that older devices aren’t able to offer a stable experience for the current iOS. Note that this is also true for Android’s OS.

Know your platforms

While iOS 12 runs on a variety of iPhone and iPad models, the development process for both platforms is very different. For example, if you want your app to run smoothly on a newer generation of iPad, your developers will need to add code that optimizes it for that particular platform. Something as seemingly simple as turning your iPad on its side (switching from Portrait view to Landscape view, in other words), and this is something that you’ll need to keep in mind if you want your app to run properly on multiple platforms.

Button or no button?

Newer models of iPhones and iPads have removed the traditional ‘Home’ button that previous Apple devices have, and while this makes sense from a design perspective, it’s yet another wrench that can get thrown into your app’s development. Quite simply, your developer has to account for this lack of a ‘Home’ button when writing the code for your app if you want it to run properly. Android devices don’t always have a similar button, and so you’ll need to take this into account as well.

Smart watches – a whole other beast

Just when you think you have it all figured out, along comes the Apple Watch (and various other smart watches) to throw a monkey wrench into your place! We’re kidding, of course, but again, if you want your app to work on this platform, you’ll essentially need to develop it from the ground up. Keep that in mind when you’re factoring in the cost of such a development.

Does it make sense now?

Essentially, what we’re trying to say is that when you decide to develop an app, it’s not as simple as saying that you want your app to be available on both iOS and Android devices. You, as well as your developers, need to be aware of these various factors to ensure that your end users are getting the best and cleanest experience possible, regardless of their chosen platform.